Sunday, 3 February 2013

Factors Motivating Genghis Khan's Conquests

Why
did Genghis Khan begin to conquer nations and accumulate vast treasures? The real reason is surprisingly simple-
Survival! The weather over time had brought drought that devastated the
grasslands of Mongolia. Farming was almost nonexistent and game was extremely
scarce. His father had been murdered when he was a small boy and their tribe
cast him and his family out. As a teen
he even killed his half-brother over food that the brother had stolen from the
family. The tribes fought over the remaining grasslands and the meager food
supplies. After coming to manhood
Temujin (aka Genghis Khan) made alliances with his father’s friends eventually
becoming the leader of their tribe. He fought on and prevailed uniting the
nation.

Still there was extreme hardship so he looked beyond the country’s
borders. First he chose to conquer states and Dynasties to the east and south.
He believed the wealth of their people had made them weak. The Mongol warriors had been toughened by a
harsh life had taken to his military training, advanced tactics, and strict
discipline

Then
he sought trade and trade partners with the leaders of rich lands along the
Silk Road only to have his caravan attacked and his ambassadors murdered. These
arrogant rulers had taken him lightly which was a huge mistake because it
enraged Genghis Khan who went on to destroy their cities and kill their people.
Genghis Khan grew up at a place and time when nothing was wasted so he stripped
these nations of everything of value! Several other western conquests followed
these wars.

From
that point more and more peoples offered their allegiance to the Mongol ruler
whose power grew daily. Soon even the enormously rich states like the Jin and
Western Xia (now part of modern day China). The spoils and plunder were immense
and were taken back to the Mongol capital. History detailed how Genghis Khan
believed gold, silver and jewels had softened the peoples that defied him and
that he slaughtered.